Tag: Education

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Association Blog

New Charter Schools Will Add More than 1,000 New Seats

By Jamar Younger

This has proved to be a landmark year for Arizona’s public charter schools.

Arizona celebrated the 25th anniversary of charter schools with enrollment surging past 200,000 students for the first time, accounting for 18 percent of the state’s total student population.

Charter schools continue to receive high marks in the state’s accountability system while outperforming the state average on assessment test, fueling the demand for more charter options in communities throughout the state.

On Monday, the State Board for Charter Schools added to those options approving six new charter schools, creating 1,082 new seats for Arizona students.

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Association Blog

Why Choosing Online School is the Best Fit for Our Family

By Tara Boedigheimer

In 2011, when our son Drew was just two years old, we experienced every parent’s worst nightmare.

We were given the shocking and completely unexpected news, by a pediatric cardiologist, that our precious boy was critically ill with a very rare form of cardiomyopathy–and in need of a heart transplant. It was the only thing that could save his life. Not only that, he needed it immediately and the transplant program at Phoenix Children’s Hospital was very new and not approved by our insurance to handle Drew’s situation.

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Association Blog

Association COO/CFO Robert DiBacco Talks Non-profit Spending, Sustainability in Podcast

By Jamar Younger

Association COO/CFO Rob DiBacco recently sat down with Procurify, a company that helps organizations align spending with their business objectives, to discuss how he manages financial operations for the Association, ways to scale spend management sustainably and tips for how educational institutions should implement a purchasing process.

Association COO/CFO Robert Di Bacco

Di Bacco covers these topics and other lessons learned from a long career that’s spanned from the corporate world, where he worked as a bond underwriter for the Travelers Group, to Chile and Argentina, where led and founded The Gaia School, and finally to Arizona, where he’s handled the Association’s finance and operations for eight years.

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Association Blog

New Charter Schools Answer the Call for More Educational Choice

By Jamar Younger

As we approach the 25th anniversary of public charter schools in Arizona, charter school enrollment continues to surge with almost 200,000 students now attending the state’s charter schools.

This growth, along with the increasing prevalence of open enrollment, signals that parents are demanding more and varied choices for their students.

The State Board for Charter Schools on Monday added even more choices for families by approving charters for 10 new schools that plan to open for the 2019-20 school year.

These new public charter schools will add 3,187 new seats for Arizona students and families who are seeking more diverse educational options. As part of our strategic efforts to increase access to quality charter schools, the Arizona Charter Schools Association contributed to the creation of more than 2,600 of these seats by providing support to these new schools through consulting, charter application reviews, mock interviews and other workshops.

These new charters will be spread throughout the Phoenix Valley, situated in areas such as Maricopa, Apache Junction, Phoenix’s Maryvale neighborhood and Goodyear.

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Association Blog Charters Changing Lives

BASIS Chandler student’s values help her rise to the top

By Jamar Younger

Kaylah Rose Yazzie has no problem adapting to change.

As the daughter of a former active duty U.S. Air Force officer, Kaylah spent the early years of her childhood moving across the globe, living as far away as Alaska and Japan.

So, when she arrived at BASIS Chandler two years ago as a burgeoning young swimmer who was looking for more of an academic challenge at a rigorous school, it was only a matter of time before she found success.

The eighth-grader has excelled as a student and an athlete, breaking three state swimming records while helping the school’s swim team win a state title last year. The 15-year-old won the gold in the 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard backstroke and 50-yard butterfly during the Canyon Athletic Association’s state meet last October.

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Press Releases

Association Hires Director of Government Affairs

The Arizona Charter Schools Association is proud to announce the hiring of Matthew Simon as its Director of Government Affairs. Simon, a Tucson native, joins the Association after serving as Education Policy Advisory for Senate Majority Staff. During his time at the Arizona State Legislature, Simon developed a wealth of education finance and policy knowledge. Simon is a former high school science teacher and Teach for America corps member. He graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Political Science and is working towards his MBA in 2019.

“As a former teacher, Matthew understands the impact advocacy and policy can have on the classroom,” said Eileen B. Sigmund, President and CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association. “Matthew brings another layer of support to Association members and we are thrilled to have his expertise on our team to inform policymakers of the excellent work in Arizona’s public charter schools.”

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Association Blog

State Charter Board issues guidance for charters regarding special education students

By Jamar Younger

Public charter schools are required to admit all students, including special education pupils.

The State Board for Charter Schools has issued guidance for charters clarifying whether schools can cap or limit admission for special education students.

In short, charter schools are required to accept all special education students and offer the same services, and make the same accommodations for those students as school districts.

The Charter Board cites information from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services can also provide resources for charters.

You can view the Charter Board’s guidance here.

The Association also created an enrollment and admissions fact sheet to address questions and misconceptions about charter school enrollment policies. Click here to view the fact sheet.

 

 

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Association Blog Charters Changing Lives

Charter leaders sacrifice to see dreams become reality

By Jamar Younger

When Nick Schuerman reflects on the fact that he’s responsible for the education of the 225 children who attend his school, he is nearly moved to tears.

Schuerman opened Victory Collegiate Academy, a K-6 public charter school, this month in Phoenix’s Maryvale neighborhood, fulfilling his dream of providing a quality education to underserved students.

“I’m seeing the fruits of my labor. It’s here now. I have to sit back and pinch myself,” he said.

Lori Weiss and Melissa McKinsey experienced a similar feeling when they welcomed almost 300 students to Synergy Public School, their brand new central Phoenix campus, which also opened this month.

These schools started as a kernel of an idea just three years ago, but have grown into the manifestation of their founders’ dreams.

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Association Blog

Arizona’s new A-F accountability system will prove crucial to charter success

By Jamar Younger

Arizona’s A-F letter grade system has served as the outward-facing indicator of a school’s quality since it was introduced in 2010.

For charter schools, A-F letter grades influence high stakes decisions such as whether a school or network can renew its charter, increase its enrollment and open another campus.

Ultimately, if a charter school receives an ‘F,’ it may potentially lead to the school’s closure.

That’s why the next six weeks will provide a series of defining moments as the state looks to complete its revamp of the new, proposed A-F Framework crafted by the state’s A-F Ad Hoc Committee.

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Association Blog

“Charters at the Capitol” Expands from Arizona Legislature to Social Media

By Jamar Younger

Charter school leaders and advocates from across Arizona gathered at the State Capitol Thursday to meet with their local legislators for our third annual “Charters at the Capitol.”

Our leaders attended meetings, shook hands, took photos and described the integral role of charter schools within their communities. The group also engaged in meaningful conversations regarding the advantages and challenges of operating a charter school, and what needs to be done to improve education in Arizona.

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